It appears the people at Toyota are encouraging speculation.
The automaker posted a vehicle teaser that elicits many questions and no answers.
The message, posted on Jan. 27, simply says: “Something new is on the horizon.”
That message plus a short video on social media and a darkened image, which you can see above, creates some speculation among the automotive media.
While Toyota is offering next-to-nothing in terms of details about this upcoming new vehicle, there’s been plenty of online ink spilled already regarding what it may be.
What could it be?
The folks at Car and Driver believe it is a new SUV, possibly an EV version, or a replacement for the Highlander, owing to the current Highlander’s age.
The people at Autoblog are convinced it is going to be the company’s largest EV, a three-row electric SUV, and they’re convinced it will be unveiled on Feb. 10.
The writers at Motortrend put their money on a new electric Highlander and that it will be built on the e-TNGA platform, the same on as the compact bZ uses, but this one offering three rows of seats.
Three-row electric SUV competitors
The three-row SUV segment is hot right now. Automakers sold boatloads of minivans in the ’90s and today they fill the same customer desire but with more versatile SUVs.
Toyota, of course, has several three-row SUVs in its lineup, with the Highlander and larger-still Grand Highlander being the entry models into the segment. Considering the Highlander and Grand Highlander now have nearly identical starting prices, it may be possible Toyota is looking to transition the Highlander to an electric powertrain while allowing the Grand Highlander to continue as the entry gasoline-burning three-row SUV model in its lineup.
An electric midsize SUV would compete against the likes of Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and VinFast VF 9, which are some of the lowest-priced three-row EVs in Canada right now.
The Mercedes-Benz EQB had been among the cheapest three-row EVs until it was discontinued recently. The upcoming GLB compact SUV, however, will replace both the EQB electric SUV and the existing GLB gasoline-burning SUV as it will offer hybrid and electric powertrains. The question mark remains on how much the electric GLB will cost. The EQB had a starting MSRP of around $60,000, similar to the Ioniq 9 and EV9.
While it is fun to speculate, we’ll just have to wait and see what Toyota unveils, likely soon.
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